Reducing Your Risk of Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)

There are a few things you can do to try to reduce your risk of developing TMD. These include:

Stress and
anxiety
can cause you to develop habits (such as jaw clenching, tooth grinding, gum chewing) that predispose you to TMD. Learn effective ways to
relieve stress, so that you won’t develop potentially detrimental habits.

These nervous habits can increase your risk of TMD. Learn other ways of dealing with stress.
You may also want to talk to your dentist about wearing a night guard, a plastic device that is worn at night to reduce harmful effects of grinding your teeth.

Frequent gum chewing may make you more prone to TMD by over-exercising your jaw joint.

Make sure you take appropriate precautions to avoid injuring your jaw because jaw injuries increase your risk of developing TMD. Wear mouth guards for contact sports, helmets for riding sports, and always wear your seatbelt when in a car. If you’re an adult, ride in cars that have air bags.

If your teeth are misaligned, an orthodontist will be able to better align them, which might prevent TMD

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

TMJ (temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders). National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research website. Available at:
http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/TMJ. Updated March 21, 2013. Accessed April 5, 2013.